High quality or overrated? Your call!
Boxers aren't considered veterans, and they don't have the same longevity as wine.
While some boxers are fortunate enough to be able to retire at a young age and look back on illustrious careers, others are forced to retire sooner than expected and with regret. Even today, some active boxers appear to want to retire from the sport sooner than expected unless something drastic occurs.
In this article, we'll look at boxers who failed to translate their abilities into titles (or vice versa) and thus remained "undervalued," as well as those who were overrated before even entering the ring.
Andre Ward: What could he have done?
Photo: nypost
It's uncommon to see a career climb as steep as Ward's has been across divisions.
At the age of 33, model boxer Andre Ward retired as the Pound for Pound world champion in 2017. He'd won three championships and had the potential to cause havoc among the division's undisputed champions. Ward also had a 32-0 record, which, although he retired as an unbeaten champion, has now been surpassed by boxers who won heavyweight titles in the 2018/19 season.
Ward will always be regarded as a "quasi-man" in comparison to boxing legends such as Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. Floyd Mayweather was unquestionably the main attraction at pay-per-view events between 2007 and 2017, as well as a seasoned star. While Mayweather benefited from his heavyweight status, Ward's marketability was not fully exploited, especially considering his appearance on the cover of Ring Magazine as "Return of the Year" for 2016.
Ward's victory over Sergey Kovalev, in which he was able to keep what little of his fame he had left and defeat a man who had previously dominated the middleweight division, was a fitting end to his career. Ward's belief that entering the heavyweight division would be a step further than his leg, on the other hand, indicates that he was more concerned with maintaining his image than with gaining additional accolades.
Though opinions differ, Ward's supporters argue that the champion did not want to cause havoc in the top division (at least, that's what Adonis Stevenson claimed) and that this decision has prevented him from achieving the title of GOAT, which was unquestionably within his grasp.
Saul Alvarez - overrated?
Photo: talksport
In terms of popularity, Mexican boxer Saul Alvarez has always had a disadvantage in the American ring. With a 50-1-2 record and 44 KOs, Alvarez is almost a national hero in his native Mexico, but some believe he has squandered his moment of glory for far too long.
Even though Gennady Golovkin's defeat (to "Canelo v GGG 2") in September 2018 earned him two titles, the fact that he won on points and the decision was not unanimous raises concerns among skeptics. Alvarez defeated Golovkin for the second time in a row, this time by referee decision, exactly one year after the first fight. On the first occasion, many experts thought the match would end in a Golovkin victory rather than the draw that it appeared to be.
A referee decision victory over underdog Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, an all-too-easy win over Floyd Mayweather, and a grueling knockout victory over Amir Khan are among his mediocre performances.
How about Chavez?
Photo: skysports
It's never easy to have a legendary father, and we all know that comparisons between father and son are commonplace. Despite his 50-3-1 record, Chavez Jr has fallen short of his father due to weight and lifestyle issues.
He's a victim of circumstance, as well as a boxer who appears to be his adversary. Because of his family's ties to the sport, he was trained by his uncles, who instilled in him a desire to win rather than a desire to fight.
In 2010, relying on Freddie Roach was a wise decision; his first major title, the WBC middleweight title, arrived after just one year, thanks to a majority decision over Sebastian Zbik.
In general, he appears to have a poor work ethic; some argue that his surname influenced the judges in the match against Sebastian Zbik and the first two matches against Brian Vera (in 2013) by causing them to vote for him.
Although Chavez's opponents' size, or lack thereof, has entered the ring, weight and self-discipline have remained outside the ring. After losing to Andrzej Fonfara, he was unable to advance through the divisions.
Is there no place for Tyson?
Photo: essentiallysports
In terms of tangible results, whoever wins three heavyweight championships is not in the overrated and underpriced category. Many believe, however, that Tyson Fury's victory over Wladimir Klitschko was more than just a passing of the baton, as a much younger man claimed an already determined victory over a much older and sluggish opponent.
Whatever your feelings about Fury's victory, it's clear that the fight was a dud that didn't live up to the hype or the pay-per-view numbers. Moreover, his enigmatic personality prevented him from channeling the necessary desire to fight.
With a wide reach and a commanding presence against all opponents, it may take something as insignificant as a new manager to give Fury the chance to dethrone Wilder as WBC heavyweight champion. The "classic" boxers are waiting for nothing more than an opportunity to exploit his Achilles heel, and finding a coach who can convince him to change his mindset will require far more ingenuity than money.
Only unimaginable knockout victories over Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua could convince him to change his mind. Wilder is favored to defeat Fury anywhere, at any time, and he appears to be unstoppable in the short term, along with Joshua. Fury is now on the verge of joining List A, but he doesn't appear to have any way of standing out.
